However, there ARE many free camping opportunities on public lands, but because of Forest Service terminology, these are sometimes missed by the public. In most cases, when the Forest Service has a named campground, it requires a fee because it has a number of minimum features for the facility:

Graded, and sometimes paved, roads and spurs

Bathrooms, and sometimes showers

Picnic table, tent pad, and fire ring / grill at each site

On-site host / security to enforce rules (e.g. quite time)

On-site operator with property and liability insurance

Water supply that is frequently tested and treated when necessary

Hazard tree removal

Trash and (for campgrounds not on a sewer system) sewage removal

Leaf blowing from trails and roads, site raking, painting, etc.

This stuff does cost money, and so the typical campground we run charges $12-14 a night, with 50% off for Golden Access patrons (i.e. senior citizens). Heck, the insurance alone costs about $1.50 per night's stay, thanks to our friends in the tort bar.

However, most National Forests offer what is called dispersed camping. This is camping out in the wilderness, without any amenities, and, at least in most cases, is totally free. Most of these camping areas don't have names, just locations and boundaries. Expect to give up all of the above amenities, and be ready to pack your trash out, but you can still pitch your tent out in nature without charge. And in many of these locations, you can get far away from other campers. Just call the local ranger district (contact info here) and ask them for information on dispersed camping.

One proviso - the biggest problem with these dispersed, non-hosted areas is, if they are heavily used, they can be a worse experience than the paid campgrounds. They can accumulate trash from thoughtless patrons, and they can get very rowdy. Dispersed campgrounds attract the best of campers - those truly trying to get a natural experience; and the worst of campers - those who don't want to follow rules, don't clean up after themselves, and who don't want to shut down their loud partying just because it is two in the morning. Many people who initially opposed paid camping are now big believers, since they have learned to value campgrounds with rules and security after a few late nights listening to loud generators and drunken parties. Talk to the ranger district to know what you are getting into at a particular site.

6 Comments

User fees are a good, well-studied solution to the decay of our public lands. By charging user fees, and allowing the local National Park, National Forest, etc. to keep those fees, money can be allocated to uses that will benefit those who actually visit. A few years ago, Yellowstone closed one of its most popular campgrounds because it cost too much. This may seem baffling, but while Yellowstone paid all the costs of the campground, it received none of the income, all of which went to Washington. As your prior linked post indicates, Congressmen don't want to fund maintenance; they want to fund flashy new projects. To those who argue that we will price poor people out of our public lands, studies show that they don't use them much, and it's the cost of gas and gear that prevents them from doing so. So our taxes are subsidizing public land use by the middle and upper classes.

Like in the US, Canada has millions of acres of public lands (crown land) that for those most part is unrestricted. While it costs to camp in National Park Wilderness areas, it costs nothing to plunk down on crown land. What this means for those willing travel a bit further are a myriad of opportunities for unsullied back-country experiences. What it means for those looking for a site they back their car into are garbage strewn, overused, cess pools. Restrictions, be they financial are not, result at least, in a modicum of controls.

I am a firm believer in every camper paying his dues. I have always found campground fees to be reasonable and well worth it. In the National Forest in Arkansas where we have camped most often there are usually lesser used campgrounds that have at least the minimum facilities that are not at all crowded. We once camped at White Rock Mountain campground in the Ozarks National Forest during peak season and there was only one other family camped on the far side of the campground. This campground had a long drive up a gravel road to get to it, but there was a great trail along the white rock bluffs.

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Doug:

I have $4 to my name. I live below the poverty line, and the best job I've ever had was $10 per hr. I cant afford to take my self, let alone my family, camping. All my life I've had a passion and a love for the outdoors, and I treat it with the utmost respect. So the comment about poor people not wanting to go camping is dead wrong. I appreciate this blog, but was unable to get any of the links to work. If you have info on free camping in north or western N.Y.please would you drop me a line at IQ30@yahoo, or dougtat2@yahoo? Thank you.